my grandfather used to play 76 Trombones and Miss Otis Regrets
on a piano on a flatbed truck all the way down Main Street with the Color Guard and the Vets
my grandmother saved the picture they ran in the paper "George and his ivories in the lead"
76 Trombones lead the big parade; George and his 88 keys
Miss Otis regrets that George will be unable to lunch today
he's down the hall in his room with some childhood tune that will not get out of his way
and there's a bird on the windowsill, or is that his old backyard and the sparrow that once sat on his palm
76 Trombones lead the big parade; in George's head now they all play different songs
he wore a tulip, a big yellow tulip; and she wore a big red rose
George wears what the nurse dresses him in now he can't understand his clothes
my grandmother comes to help him eat his lunch everyday
and sits with him through the long afternoon
76 Trombones lead the big parade; love dos not forget its tune
Amazing Grace, where is your sweet sound? Let it come and abide with me
in the gathering dark, we'll play a song in F sharp. George taught himself on just the black keys
we'll play it by ear, to call Heaven near where not one note has to sound alone
76 Trombones lead the big parade, and George all the way home